The Cowardly Sidekick (08)

His roommates were very concerned about him, and after hearing him say that his chest felt tight, they all gathered around him.

Even the usually aloof Yu Cheng showed a hint of worry.

"It should be fine..." Compared to the dead, Xue Ci felt that his discomfort was nothing. He would have to go through zombie swarms in the future, which would be a matter of life and death. He didn't want to make a big fuss over something like this.

That makes you seem too delicate.

"It's okay, I'll take a look myself."

Xue Ci's fingers gripped the hem of her clothes, about to lift it up, but Duan Zeran pressed her wrist down.

"Wait a minute." Duan Zeran glanced at Wu Feng and Yu Cheng, who naturally understood what kind of look he was giving her and took a few steps back to avoid it.

Even so, Duan Zeran shielded Xue Ci from view as if she were his own wife.

They were all boys, Wu Feng wondered what was going on.

When their team gets hot or tired during training, they just take off their shirts and don't even bother to look at each other.

Isn't Xue Ci a boy too?

Wu Feng tried to convince himself of this, but his ears slowly began to burn.

If Xue Ci suddenly took off her clothes in front of him, he would indeed be... a little embarrassed to watch.

Her skin was fair and smooth; I bet it was all pink.

I wonder what it smells like? Will the color darken if I rub it against something?

Wu Feng's face burned, and he cleared his throat.

He looked around.

Yu Cheng next door was organizing the medicine in her drawer.

Speaking of which, Yu Cheng has changed a lot recently. Although he is still as taciturn as ever, he always brings them food when he goes out, and the food is not cheap.

He knew a little about Yu Cheng's situation, and the reason things had turned out this way... could it be that he liked Xue Ci?

The concern shown by those who gathered around just now was also an unconscious action.

Wu Feng was surprised—but Duan Zeran seemed to like Xue Ci as well.

Even himself...

never mind.

Now is not the time to think about these things.

Xue Ci didn't notice that there were no more straight men in the dormitory.

He lifted his shirt and carefully inspected himself.

There was no injury to his chest, not even a bruise.

Perhaps he was too frightened just now.

Xue Ci was having trouble breathing, and an unnatural blush rose to her cheeks. She put her clothes down and said reassuringly, "I'm fine. I probably just didn't get enough rest."

Duan Zeran patted Xue Ci's head and poured him a cup of hot water. "Tell me if anything happens."

Xue Ci, stood up, and glanced at the balcony.

The sky was overcast.

It seemed to foreshadow something.

The school was eerily quiet; the streets were deserted, and the boys' dormitory was unusually quiet as well. After learning that someone had been killed by the mutated plant, everyone hid in their dormitories, waiting for a clear response from the school.

Some people didn't believe that plants could mutate, thinking it was just a hallucination caused by a high fever; some were clamoring that the school was unsafe and wanted to go home; and many more were in a state of fear and anxiety.

Soon, the counselor sent a notification in the group chat.

The school is closed and completely under lockdown. Everyone must return to their dormitories and not leave without permission. They must follow instructions; otherwise, they will be penalized with demerit points and dealt with severely.

"It seems something really has happened." Wu Feng checked the balcony windows and door. If it's a plant, it's most likely to get in through these two places.

However, they dare not make any rash moves for the time being, fearing that they might end up trapped inside, unable to escape.

Messages kept popping up in the group chat.

Someone in our dorm has a fever, what should we do? Shouldn't we take them to the hospital?

[We have it too!]

[They're letting us stay in the dorm, but they should at least give us food!]

Messages like these kept popping up.

The students were terrified and vented their frustrations in the group chat.

However, the school was so busy dealing with the constant calls from the media that they had no time to deal with these issues.

"Luckily, we went to the supermarket together and bought some food." Wu Feng was optimistic about the situation. "It'll be enough for us to eat for a few days, and the school will definitely solve the problem in a few days."

However, Duan Zeran's brow remained furrowed for a long time as he asked Yu Cheng about the plants.

"Perhaps it was the acid rain a while ago that caused these plants to mutate."

Plant mutations, animal bites... What will happen next? Duan Zeran couldn't predict either. He just did what he could: distribute food and daily necessities, charge the flashlights in the dormitory, and bring out everyone's basins and buckets to collect water.

Xue Ci still felt unwell after drinking the hot water.

He slumped over the table, looking completely listless.

The weather was gloomy and the temperature wasn't high, but he kept breaking out in a cold sweat.

The air in the dormitory was stagnant, and the cool fragrance wafted into the air, reaching everyone.

Especially Yu Cheng, whose five senses are very sharp, looked at Xue Ci several times, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Duan Zeran thought Xue Ci had caught the flu, so he dissolved the medicine in hot water and applied a fever-reducing patch to Xue Ci.

Xue Ci took a few sips, then pouted, clearly unwilling to drink.

Duan Zeran didn't say anything, but put a piece of chocolate in his mouth.

Xue Ci buried her face in her arms, her chest tight and her breathing shallow, so she could only open her mouth and breathe in softly.

Everyone was very concerned and kept glancing in their direction.

Xue Ci was indeed feeling unwell.

It's not pain; the pain itself is tolerable.

It's a feeling I can't quite describe.

It felt sour and swollen, as if it were being licked by some rough tongue, and began to stand erect.

The surroundings began to bulge and become heavy.

Feeling terrible... Xue Ci guessed that this might be a punishment from the system.

He pursed his lips and curled up like a kitten.

About ten minutes later, after breaking out in a cold sweat, the strange feeling disappeared.

Apart from still having some difficulty breathing, Xue Ci otherwise fine.

Just then, my phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

After the call connected, a cold, deep male voice came from the other end of the receiver.

It took Xue Ci a while to recognize who the other person was.

Why would Lu Bo'an be at school at this time?

"Is it convenient for me to come to your dorm?" Lu Bo'an asked as he walked, his footsteps audible.

Xue Ci figured the other person might be asking about his breakup with Lu Zhoucheng, so he asked tactfully, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I have something I'd like to talk to you about." The man stopped in his tracks. "I'm already at your dorm entrance."

Soon, Xue Ci heard a knock on the door.

The group immediately became alert. Xue Ci stood up. "They've come to see me. They're Lu Zhoucheng's older brother."

Duan Zeran. Had Xue Ci already met Lu Zhoucheng's parents?

But we've already broken up, it's okay.

Did he come to talk to you?

Xue Ci.

Open the door.

The man outside was wearing a gray shirt, and his hair was not all pulled up, but hung down in front of his forehead.

The original frameless design has been replaced with a gold half-frame.

Xue Ci could roughly guess what the other party wanted to talk about, and said directly, "Are you here to ask me about my breakup with Lu Zhoucheng?"

However, Lu Bo'an said no.

I came to bring you this.

The man raised his arm, holding a delicate cake box in his hand.

Xue Ci was stunned.

Inside the room, Duan Zeran suddenly spoke up, "It's dangerous outside, why don't you come in and talk?"

Xue Ci asked Lu Bo'an the same question.

He assumed the other person wouldn't have time to come inside and talk to him, especially since they had only met once and weren't familiar with each other at all. He figured they wouldn't have anything else to talk about besides Lu Zhoucheng.

As a result, Lu Bo'an brought the cake into the house.

As she passed by, Xue Ci's arm was brushed against by the man's stiff shirt, causing a tightness to rise in her chest.

His shoulders trembled, and he moved aside slightly.

Lu Bo'an had a strong presence, especially in front of the freshmen boys, exuding an aura of maturity and authority.

The man placed the cake on the table and glanced at Xue Ci: "Not feeling well?"

Xue Ci paused for a moment, then looked up at him with a puzzled expression. "Hmm?"

Lu Bo'an: "His face is pink, and he looks very hot."

"Hmm... I feel much better now." Xue Ci's gaze fell on the cake. "Thank you for the cake."

Lu Bo'an stood to the side, saying nothing more, but simply looking at his desk.

Even without saying a word, a man exudes a strong sense of presence.

Xue Ci felt awkward, like he was being randomly inspected for hygiene by his parents. It wasn't until Wu Feng brought over his chair that he remembered to let Lu Bo'an sit down.

To avoid disturbing others, Xue Ci pushed the two chairs together, and after Lu Bo'an sat down, there was less room for him.

Their bodies were almost touching.

Duan Zeran and Yu Cheng glanced in that direction indifferently.

Xue Ci didn't notice them, and looked at the cake box. "Did you come to see Lu Zhoucheng?"

"I came to see him, and I came to see you too." Lu Bo'an added, "The cake was for you."

Lu Bo'an seemed to genuinely treat him like family.

Thinking about breaking up with Lu Zhoucheng, Xue Ci felt a little guilty. "Lu Zhoucheng was very good to me, but our personalities weren't compatible."

Lu Bo'an didn't try to persuade them to reconcile, "I can't interfere in your affairs. Zhoucheng is young and has a bad temper."

The man turned to look at Xue Ci: "If you feel it's not right, then breaking up is normal."

Xue Ci pursed her lips and didn't say anything more.

"I heard something happened at your school, so I came to see you." Lu Bo'an arrived at noon, and on the way, he passed a cake shop and, as if possessed, asked his assistant to stop the car.

Lu Zhoucheng didn't seem to be in a good state. He asked his assistant to send the person home first, while he stayed in Lu Zhoucheng's dormitory, thinking about what excuse he could use to see Song Xueci.

Not long after, they heard about plants mutating and killing people.

"I'm glad you're alright." Lu Bo'an noticed a thin layer of sweat on Xue Ci's nose again. "Are you feeling unwell? Should I take you to the hospital?"

Xue Ci frowned; the aching sensation in her chest returned.

Soon, a pair of large hands covered his forehead.

"I don't have a fever..." Xue Ci breathed softly, her breathing short and labored, her voice trembling, "I just can't breathe."

Lu Bo'an let go.

Indeed, Xue Ci's body temperature wasn't hot; it wasn't even as warm as the temperature of his palm.

Duan Zeran had been keeping an eye on the situation, immediately got up and went over when he saw that Xue Ci was not feeling well.

He squeezed between Lu Bo'an and Xue Ci, pressing down on Xue Ci's shoulder. "Want to go to the upper bunk to rest for a bit?"

Xue Ci her head.

He is now very afraid of being touched by others.

Moreover, he felt his chest continue to swell and bulge, as if water was sloshing inside.

Xue Ci's face paled.

As if remembering something, he pushed Duan Zeran and hid in the bathroom.

Duan Zeran instructed him not to close the door tightly, so that they could go in and check on the situation if anything happened.

Xue Ci gave a muffled reply and opened the door a crack.

Then stand at the doorway, head bowed—

Xue Ci wore an incredulous expression.

The clothes were bulging out at the chest area.

His chest... has gotten fleshy.

Xue Ci couldn't believe it, and with trembling fingers, she slowly lifted up her clothes.

A small patch of soft flesh has bulged out from what was originally a flat area.

Pink and white.

That small piece of flesh wasn't even as big as the palm of my hand; the skin looked very delicate, and a slight touch would leave a fingerprint.

Is this punishment? Is he going to turn into a girl...?

Xue Ci was so frightened that she immediately went to check other places.

Thankfully, everything is normal.

Xue Ci a sigh of relief, but still felt wronged, and complained to 11: "How could you punish me like this?"

Unable to fight against artificial intelligence, 11 could only offer words of comfort, "[Don't be sad, host. You can imagine him as having pectoral muscles. Those men outside all have big chests; they won't notice you.]"

Xue Ci was skeptical of his statement.

It's the same thing—fat growing on the chest—but this... it's strange.

Xue Ci still felt a soreness and didn't dare touch it. However, if she went out like this, her clothes would bulge out, and she would definitely be noticed.

People will think he's mutated and treat him like a monster.

Will he be thrown to the zombies ahead of time?

A layer of moisture welled up in Xue Ci's eyes, and she stood there helplessly.

He didn't want anyone to find out about this...

"Xue Ci, how are you? Are you still feeling unwell?" Duan Zeran asked worriedly, as there had been no movement from the bathroom earlier.

The others were also very worried.

Besides Wu Feng guarding the door, Yu Cheng and Lu Bo'an were also near the bathroom.

There were vague figures moving inside.

"Xiao Ci, I interned at a hospital. Do you need me to take a look at you?" Lu Bo'an asked.

Soon, sounds came from the bathroom.

"I... I don't need it, thank you, brother."

Listen closely, and you can hear the boy's breathing is erratic, filled with panic.

However, they all assumed it was due to physical discomfort.

"Duan Zeran, are you outside?" Xue Ci asked again.

The boy whose name was called sat up straight, as if he were being favored. "You say it."

Xue Ci said she was sweating and felt sticky and uncomfortable, so she asked the other person to help her get a short-sleeved shirt and a jacket.

He needs to change his clothes.

Duan Zeran quickly handed the clothes in.

There was a small stool and a razor blade in the bathroom. Xue Ci sat on it and slowly cut her short-sleeved shirt into long strips, then wrapped them around her chest.

He had only seen this in TV dramas; he never imagined it would be so complicated to do.

It takes this long.

Fortunately, no one asked him.

After Xue Ci finished cutting it, she wrapped it around her chest little by little, until it was a little tight but not so tight that she couldn't breathe.

Then she put on her coat.

He showed it to 11; his oversized coat covered everything, and even with the zipper open, his chest was flat.

Xue Ci breathed a sigh of relief.

He thought that Lu Bo'an would have left long ago since he had been inside, but it turned out that the other party was still waiting for him.

"Big brother," Xue Ci said obediently, her eyelashes lowered, "I'm alright."

Lu Bo'an glanced at his flushed cheeks. "It's good that you're alright."

The assistant was almost at the dormitory building, Lu Bo'an was about to go downstairs to wait when a heart-wrenching scream echoed down the corridor—

Bang!

The sound of flesh and blood tearing apart!

Everyone tensed up and crowded around the doorway. Wu Feng asked anxiously, "What's going on? Have those things come over?"

Duan Zeran said, "Don't open the door!"

Yu Cheng held the door shut.

"Someone came out of the 305 entrance; their chest had been pierced."

"There are three very thick vines, currently all in the corridor."

"People opened the doors in rooms 307, 309, and 312, and two people were entangled in the process."

"Don't go out for now."

Wu Feng asked in surprise, "Do you have X-ray vision?"

Yu Cheng: "I can hear you."

Wu Feng took a deep breath. "Luckily, you're in our dorm, otherwise I really would have opened the door... Are those monsters still there?"

"Still in the air."

"So now we--"

"Shh."

Everyone quieted down. Xue Ci was standing right between Lu Bo'an and Duan Zeran, the two tall men squeezing him into almost no space.

Xue Ci now so sensitive that even the slightest touch makes her uncomfortable.

His shoulders trembled.

Lu Bo'an noticed something, leaned down, and stared at Xue Ci's zipper, which was pulled all the way up.

The sounds outside the corridor gradually grew louder: cries, crashes, splattered blood... Everyone was on high alert because of the life-or-death situation.

Apart from Xue Ci, the other four were all tall, strong, and physically fit. They split into two teams to guard the door and the balcony.

As darkness fell outside, the plants that had been suspended in the air suddenly became still.

The vines swished back in a flash, returning to their normal state.

"Perhaps they need sunlight," Duan Zeran analyzed. "They'll rest at night when there's no light."

Wu Feng quickly asked, "What about cloudy days? Will they still appear?"

After that, I'll check the weather forecast.

"The weather forecast might be unreliable now," Duan Zeran said with a sigh of relief. "Anyway, we're safe tonight."

Xue Ci glanced at Lu Bo'an, then nervously tugged at his clothes. "It's dangerous outside, brother, you stay here for now."

Lu Bo'an stared at Xue Ci's pale fingers.

Xue Ci hasn't been feeling well since just now.

Even the slightest brush against him elicits a soft groan.

The others had no objection to Lu Bo'an staying here for the time being, since going out now might mean losing his life.

Duan Zeran scrolled through the class group chat and saw that many people had also encountered danger in their dormitories.

One of the injured people suffered a leg injury that caused him to bleed profusely.

His roommates were crying out in the group chat, begging if anyone could come and rescue him.

The man was a member of the basketball team and had a good relationship with Wu Feng. He was in a hurry to go out, but Duan Zeran stopped him.

Wu Feng asked anxiously, "Are we just going to stand by and watch our classmate die?"

"Going out now is pointless, it'll only get you killed." Lu Bo'an's tone sounded somewhat ruthless, but Wu Feng had no way to refute it.

"We can only give them some anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing medicine," Duan Zeran, looking at Wu Feng. "This kind of thing will happen many more times in the future."

Wu Feng lowered his head and remained silent.

Even if there was no sound outside, no one dared to go out rashly. Both animals and plants were afraid of fire, Duan Zeran took a candle from the cake box and casually picked up a book to light it.

He and Wu Feng took the medicine and left, while the rest of them stayed in the dormitory.

"You should rest for a bit." Yu Cheng noticed that Xue Ci wasn't feeling well. "You're sweating a lot, do you want to take off your coat?"

Xue Ci her head, subconsciously fumbling for the zipper of her coat.

Yu Cheng pressed him down into a chair to rest.

Yu Cheng himself stood guard at the door.

The adults were relatively calm in front of the college students. Lu Bo'an walked around the dormitory, found the toolbox, dismantled a chair, and used wood to fix the sunlight through several pieces of transparent glass.

Especially the gaps in some of the drain pipes in the bathroom.

Fortunately, there has been no water or power outage so far.

The cell phone also has a signal.

The few people who remained in the dormitory knew that calling the police at this point would be futile, but they still tried calling a few times.

As expected, the line was busy.

Lu Bo'an called his assistant, but the assistant didn't answer; it seemed something had happened.

Just as I hung up, Lu Zhoucheng called.

The other person was at home and only then learned about what happened at school. "Brother, are you still at school?"

Lu Bo'an: "Hmm, what's the situation outside?"

"Everything's normal for now." Lu Zhoucheng said anxiously, "Are you in the dorm? Is that near Xue Ci?"

Lu Bo'an glanced at Xue Ci beside him.

Half a meter.

"Right beside me."

Lu Zhoucheng was taken aback. He didn't have time to think about why the two of them were together, "Is he alright?"

Xue Ci blocked his number, so he called from his home phone, but no one answered.

"Still there."

"Is it in Xue Ci's dormitory?"

"Um."

I'm setting off to find you.

Lu Bo'an frowned: "You're cold--"

Before I could say anything, the call was disconnected.

When I called back, no one answered.

Lu Zhoucheng was impulsive, but with his two most important people at school, he simply couldn't calm down.

Knowing his temper, Lu Bo'an didn't call again.

Xue Ci was very worried about the two who went out, but fortunately they returned soon.

Compared to other dormitories, they were clearly lucky, not only because they had the protagonist's halo, but also because they had stockpiled supplies beforehand.

Duan Zeran comforted everyone, "That's enough for us for a week."

But what if we run out of food? What will we do then?

Everyone was heavy-hearted, unsure when this disaster would end.

Little did they know, this was just the beginning; a massive zombie outbreak was just days away.

Night fell quickly. Without sleep, they wouldn't have the energy to deal with the monsters the next day, so Lu Bo'an suggested taking turns on watch, two for the first half and two for the second.

Everyone agreed, Duan Zeran, "Yu Cheng and I will stay and hold the line for now."

Xue Ci tugged at Lu Bo'an's clothes. "You can sleep in my bed."

His voice was very soft, but Duan Zeran and Yu Cheng could hear it clearly.

Duan Zeran quickly replied, "Then Xiao Ci will sleep in my bed. I'll keep watch and won't need to sleep."

The three of them went to sleep first.

Xue Ci was nervous, but exhaustion quickly made his eyelids stick together.

He wasn't feeling well, and he felt suffocated, so he hid under the covers and secretly tore off the strips of cloth and stuffed them into his pocket.

In the latter half of the night, Lu Bo'an and Wu Feng took over the night watch.

Duan Zeran easily climbed to the upper bunk in Duan Zeran. Xue Ci was covered with his blanket and huddled in the corner.

The moonlight faintly revealed a soft, delicate face.

Duan Zeran knew he shouldn't have any inappropriate thoughts at a time like this, but he still couldn't help leaning closer to Xue Ci.

Luckily, I was sleeping in the same bed as him.

It's not with Lu Bo'an.

For some reason, Duan Zeran disliked Lu Bo'an very much whenever he saw him, especially the way he looked at Xue Ci.

Xue Ci carried a damp, musty fragrance.

Duan Zeran took a deep breath.

Besides the light fragrance, there also seems to be a... milky scent.

Why does it taste like milk?

Duan Zeran pressed himself against Xue Ci, his straight nose twitching.

Smell downwards from the face, mouth, and neck.

Up to the chest--

The milky smell seemed to be coming from there.

Duan Zeran paused, his eyes darkening.

Thinking of Xue Ci's unusual behavior today, and the extra scraps of cloth in the bathroom trash can.

He reached out and pressed his fingertips against the top zipper.

Just as I was about to slide down, the bed was tapped lightly twice.

Duan Zeran stiffened as if he were a lecherous man about to commit a sin.

He nervously withdrew his fingers.

Behind him, Lu Bo'an's voice was cold, clearly tinged with sarcasm. "Do your roommates help people take off their clothes in the middle of the night?"

Duan Zeran frowned.

He didn't speak, but he also didn't do anything else.

Xue Ci slept soundly that night and didn't wake up until the next morning.

He was the only one in bed when I woke up.

He was in a daze, vaguely feeling that a small patch of his shirt was wet.

What happened...?

Soon, I could feel something liquid flowing out of my body.

Xue Ci shrugged, instantly snapping back to reality.

Everyone was seated.

Xue Ci quickly got out of bed, gave the others a perfunctory answer, and soon went into the bathroom.

Take off your coat and lift the hem.

A milky aroma wafted out.

The milky white milk coated the cherries tightly, gathered together, and rolled down.

Author's Note:

My poor baby is so pitiful, sob sob [poor][poor][poor]